I run a pottery painting studio here in El Cotillo. That means I only get on the water once the kiln is packed and firing, or on the odd day off. These are the five kite spots I keep coming back to, and the honest reasons why.
What you need to know: Apart from the spots down south, none of these places is beginner-friendly. If you're unsure, book a coach or a boat session and get a proper intro to the spot. It lowers the risk for you, for the other kiters and for your gear.
Flag Beach, Corralejo
Flag Beach is my all-rounder. It's the spot that gives you something in almost any condition, which is why it's usually the first place I head for when the wind is right.
What you get depends entirely on the wind direction. With calima and onshore wind it can turn genuinely wavy. On other days it's flat to slightly choppy and you can just cruise or work on new tricks.
At low tide the entry is limited and a bit sketchy. The reef sits exposed and does exactly what exposed reef does to gear and feet. At low tide, enter near the kiosk. At high tide it opens up and you can get in almost anywhere along the beach. Important if you're still learning: kite here on high tide, and if you don't, you need to be able to at least hold your height. Otherwise getting back out becomes very rocky, very painful and genuinely dangerous.
Piedra Playa, El Cotillo
My home spot, because it's right next to the studio.
It's beautiful, one of the nicest places I've ever launched a kite. It works on north, northwest and rarely - west.
The water here is basically always choppy, the wind is fairly gusty, especially close to the shore (because El Cotillo is in the way), and on top of that there's often a solid shorebreak that makes the entry difficult or even impossible on the wrong day.
What you get in return is the option to ride far out and look back at El Cotillo and that wild stretch of coast from the water.
Puerto Lajas
Honestly: I don't find this spot particularly pretty. It's a great wave spot on the east coast and it is always shared with a windsurf crowd who were probably there first ;)
It's on the list anyway, because it works. And you have a beautiful lefthander, and because the days it runs are often exactly the days the north is too messy. You drive to Lajas to kite, not for the view or the vibe.
Matas Blancas
Down south, just before Costa Calma, and a completely different spot. Matas Blancas is the island's flat-water benchmark. Tide-independent, so it works all day. That's exactly why most of the southern kite camps have set up around it.
The catch: the wind is offshore with a bit of side in it. Going out when the station is closed and no rescue is possible is a bad idea. If something breaks and you drift out and the next stop is Africa. Kite here when the station is open. This is not a spot for a solo sunset session.
Sotavento Lagoon
A full-day trip where, for me, three things have to line up: the lagoon has to be full, the wind has to be blowing, and I need a whole day off. You can kite there without the lagoon too, but then you still need to make sure the lifeguards are on duty because the wind will be off-shore (mostly). Before you drive down, always check the René Egli lagoon table. A trip to Sotavento with an empty lagoon is a very long look at wet sand.
When it all comes together, it's spectacular. Warm, shallow - and packed in high season. It's still not my default spot: too far from the studio, and with that triple condition I only make it down there a few times a year. Every one of those trips, however, is worth it.
How I actually decide
North to northwest with a decent tide: Piedra Playa, because it's five minutes from the studio. When I'm not sure: Flag Beach, but I check the webcam first. East wind or a blown-out north: Puerto Lajas. A rare free day with a full lagoon: head south.
On the windless days when there's no swell either, you'll find me hiking my favourite volcanoes.
And if you're more in the mood for beach and quiet: pop in, grab a Paint-at-Home set and get creative outdoors.
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